A WIDE and varied selection of blues across the circuit this week, starting today at the Robin Hood Beer Festival at the Castle.

It runs until tomorrow and features a good smattering of live music, including Booba Dust, playing their 50s/60s RnB today at 2pm. The Leggomen will be launching into 60s/70s rock and blues covers along with self-written blues and folk at 6.30pm. Tomorrow the festival features the Backline Blues Band from 4pm, playing the music of Cream, Matt Schofield, Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa and more. They are followed at 6.30pm by Full Circle, a band influenced by John Lee Hooker, BB King, Muddy Waters and Free.

Geneva-based Mama Rosin play the Rescue Rooms tomorrow.

This talented trio produces music that is an energetic mix of Mississippi blues, cajun and tropical rhythms. The band is starting to build a name for themselves across the UK, helped on by an impressive performance on Later... With Jools Holland.

Over the border tomorrow at the Flowerpot in Derby, there's the young wild man of blues, Marcus Bonfanti. As well as a voice that comes from the belly of the earth, he has great wit and excellent guitar playing.

Sunday's highlight is at the Royal Concert Hall with the return of rock legend Ray Davies (pictured).

He and his brother Dave were both influenced by the music of Mississippi and initially wanted to be a blues band but Ray felt that they could never do true justice to the genre.

Later, however, he did incorporate it into his songwriting that lent heavily on British folk and pop, creating The Kinks' quintessential sound.

If you want some afternoon blues on Sunday, local band Old Dog are at the Barge Inn, Long Eaton, from 3pm.